Former Doctor Who star Arthur Darvill predicts that Jodie Whittaker will “bloom” as the Thirteenth Doctor in her second season on board the TARDIS. The Legends of Tomorrow actor is most known for his turn as Rory Williams, husband to Karen Gillan’s Amy Pond, across seasons 5-7 opposite Matt Smith. He’s an old friend of Whittaker’s, too, from their time on crime drama Broadchurch, so he really knows what he’s talking about.
Darvill spoke to What’s On TV recently and was asked for his thoughts on Whittaker’s performance as the latest version of the Time Lord. He praised the actress and offered his prediction that season 12 will be even better than season 11, as he believes each Doctor’s sophomore year allows them to have more fun in the role than the first.
“I think Jodie is amazing. I’m really looking forward to what they do next year. I always think the second series of anyone in that role is the one where they bloom. You’ve had the year of ‘Will they like it? Won’t they like it?’ and then the second year is great. We saw that with David [Tennant], Matt [Smith] and Peter [Capaldi], the second series is the one where they have fun.”
Season 11 was popular with many fans for its refreshed tone and spirit, with Whittaker being widely applauded for her portrayal. That said, there are just as many who felt the plotting and characterization of the Doctor wasn’t up to the level of previous years. Either way, let’s hope Darvill is right and season 12 will be even better, so season 11 fans will get more of what they love and the dissenters will be won over.
In any case, back on Halloween, the official Doctor Who Twitter shared a promo image which teased some news to come. Well, it’s now 10 days later and we’re still waiting for that news. It’s possible the first trailer for season 12 could arrive, though, via the Children in Need telethon on November 16th, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled over the coming week or so.